


Born in the U.S.A

by KittyCargo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Background Linny, Bruce Springsteen References, Drarry, Explicit Language, Friendship, H/D Wireless 2020, M/M, Non-Explicit Masturbation, Non-Explicit Sex, Pining, Road Trips, Song: Dancing In The Dark - Bruce Springsteen, Song: I'm on Fire - Bruce Springsteen, alternate universe - US
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:26:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24886801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyCargo/pseuds/KittyCargo
Summary: “You need to come home, Draco.”“What? Why? What’s wrong?”“Nothing’s wrong, I just have an opportunity for you, and you need to come home to take it.”When Draco's mother insists he returns home, he drags his feet and convinces his friends to go on a road trip with him.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 38
Kudos: 151
Collections: HD Wireless 2020





	Born in the U.S.A

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my two EXCELLENT betas, Seth and Leah! I truly could not have done this without you! Your cheerleading, input, and corrections, this fic would not exist.
> 
> Thank you to the mods who worked so hard to organize this fest!
> 
> And thanks to prolix who submitted this prompt: "I'm on Fire" by Bruce Springsteen.  
> Please enjoy a little extra "Dancing in the Dark."

Draco wouldn’t have answered the phone if he’d realized who was calling.

He was dry-mouthed and hungover, tangled in the sheets at the bottom of Pansy’s bed when his phone rang loudly. Pansy kicked at him, hard, and his head began to throb to the beat of his ringtone. He fumbled and answered without looking. “H-hello?”

Pansy kicked him again. “I am  _ trying _ to sleep!” Each word was punctuated with another kick. Draco flailed to get out of reach of her feet and landed hard on the floor.

“Ouch! Jesus fucking Christ, Pansy! Fuck off!” He stumbled towards her ensuite bathroom and slammed the door behind him to try to get back at her, but the sound just made his headache worse. He cleared his throat and tried again on the phone. “Hello?”

“Draco, darling, what on earth was all of that?” Draco froze, mortified that his mother had just heard him curse.

“Sorry, Mother,” he offered meekly. He exhaustedly lowered himself to the floor and leaned his head against the porcelain of the tub. It felt cool against his temple, and he let his eyes flutter shut. It had been a late night.

There was a long silence on the other end, then a very disappointed sigh. “You need to come home, Draco.”

“What? Why? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I just have an opportunity for you, and you need to come home to take it.”

It was Draco’s turn to sigh now. The last time his mother had called him home for an opportunity was to set him up with the daughter of one of her friends. It hadn’t worked out, unsurprisingly, since Draco was incredibly gay. His mother knew that, but her acceptance of it was sometimes situational.

“I’m not coming home for a date. I’ve got plans, work—” Draco searched around for another excuse, "Pansy and Blaise need me here. Pansy’s boyfriend just dumped her again. I can’t just leave her in this vulnerable state.” His mother scoffed. Pansy was rarely vulnerable with anyone, much less her on-again off-again boyfriend; she’d actually dumped him this time, but they’d be back together before the week was over.

“Well, that works out perfectly. Bring Pansy and Blaise with you. I’m sure their mothers would like to see them too.”

Draco could see he was fighting a losing battle, but he refused to surrender. “I have work, Mother!” He could hear his voice becoming whiny and hated himself for it.

“Do you have a meeting I don’t know about with a prospective investor?” Draco stayed silent rather than admit that he didn’t. His mother sighed. “You’ve been at the same job for two years now. Surely you have some vacation or something?” When he still didn’t reply she put on her most imperious voice, the one that didn’t allow room for argument. “Draco, you and Pansy and Blaise are going to buy tickets from LAX to JFK and then you’ll come out to the Hamptons before we close up the summer house, and we’ll all have one last soiree. I have someone I want you to meet. It’s  _ important _ , Draco.”

Draco considered his choices. There was no way he could wriggle out of this. His mother was right; he didn’t have any pressing obligations and he was out of excuses, but he could still do it on his terms.

He sighed heavily. “I’ll come, but I won’t be there until Friday.”

There was silence on the other end. He would’ve thought his mother hung up except that he knew his mother. She was calculating.

“Why Friday?” she finally gave in and asked.

“It’s quite a long drive from L.A. to New York, Mother,” he drawled in his most patronizing voice.

Another pause. “Why would you drive? If it’s an issue of money, your father and I can just pay for your ticket. Isn’t this why you have a job? To pay for these things?” She gave a big sigh. “I’m on the computer right now. I’ll look up a fli—”

Draco fought to keep his voice level. He loved his mother, but they often exasperated each other (his father was another matter entirely). “No, thank you. It’s not a money issue.” It was a slight money issue, but he’d learned the hard way that his parents' money came with strings attached, “My job pays for necessities and savings, not frivolous, last-minute cross-country flights. Anyway, I think that a cross-country roadtrip is a good opportunity to see more of this  _ beautiful  _ country.” His mother made a noise that he couldn’t quite decipher, and he realized he was laying it on a bit thick. “I just thought that it might be fun,” he amended. 

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt anything. It would give me more time to plan...and if you’re with Pansy and Blaise you’d be safe enough…” Draco rolled his eyes at her. He was 26 goddamn years old, and she was fretting as if he was 12 and staying home alone for the first time. He didn’t need her permission. “Very well,” she said finally. “I’ll see you on Friday. And pack something smart to wear on Saturday. None of your ripped T-shirts.”

“Yes, Mother.” He rolled his eyes again.

“Well...drive safe. I love you.”

“I love you too,” he replied. He meant it. He loved his mother; it was just that sometimes they had very different ideas about what his life should look like. He hung up the phone, closed his eyes and moved his head slightly to a new spot against the tub. The bathroom lights were very bright, and his head still hurt quite a bit.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there with his cheek against the cool porcelain, but eventually Pansy burst in demanding he get out so she could pee.

Draco wandered down the hall to where Blaise was unpacking food from brown paper bags.

“Please tell me it’s Corfax?” Draco moaned, praying for his favorite breakfast burrito.

“Of course,” Blaise’s voice was lowered and his sunglasses were still on even though they were inside. It seemed that Blaise, while recovered enough to go fetch them burritos, was still feeling the effects of last night, same as Draco.

Draco took a bite and groaned. “Don’t tell Pansy, but this is why you’re my favorite friend.”

Pansy entered the kitchen at that moment, her short hair rumpled on one side. “Don’t worry Draco; Blaise is my favorite friend too.” 

Draco finally felt well enough to gasp in mock surprise, but when Pansy sat down next to him, he leaned his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes as she stroked his hair with her free hand. Blaise ignored both of them and focused on his breakfast.

Draco was feeling much better after breakfast. Pansy went to take a shower and even Blaise was more talkative as Draco went to make a second cup of coffee. They both froze when they heard Pansy shriek.

“Pans? What’s wrong?” Blaise called out.

“Did you try to cut your own bangs again? I promise I won’t post the pictures online this time!” Draco hollered.

Pansy ran into the room, wrapped in only a towel and still dripping, her phone held in her hand. “Why does my mom think I’m _ driving home _ with you and Blaise?!”

Draco’s good mood disappeared.

It took quite a bit of convincing on Draco’s part to get Pansy on board. After he’d explained it all to her and she’d agreed, she’d sniffed at him haughtily and disappeared to pack. Draco glanced at Blaise.

“How long will I have to work to get you to agree to come with me too?” Draco asked, exhausted. It wasn’t even noon yet.

“Unlike you two, I actually like my mom,” Blaise said amicably.

“We can’t all have mothers who think the sun shines out of our ass,” Draco said crossly.

“I think it helps that my mom isn’t married to Lucius.” 

Draco considered this, then grunted in agreement. 

“My questions are more of logistic issues. Such as, whose car are you planning to drive?” Draco frowned. He hadn’t thought this through that far. Blaise continued, “And have you thought about the fact that you don’t actually like to drive? Have you even looked up how long of a drive it is? I’m pretty sure it’s something like 40 hours.” 

Draco pulled it up on his phone. “It’s 42…”

Blaise’s eyebrows went up. “That’s almost two days straight through.”

Draco flushed. “I know how to do math!” 

“I’m just saying you haven’t thought this through further than spiting your mother. Would it be so bad to let them pay for your ticket?”

Draco sighed. The last time he’d let them pay for something big had been college, and they’d stuck him with debt he was still paying off when he’d come out to them his last semester. There’d been several other incidents where he’d relied on them for something, but when he made a decision they didn’t like, that support suddenly vanished. Or, his parents would deposit money in his bank account when he really needed it but then expect something from him in return. It’d been a crappy lesson to learn, but he’d learned it: financial support from his parents wasn’t free and had lingering consequences. He’d switched banks, figured out his own health insurance, and whittled away at his college debt. He frowned, considering it, but Blaise saw the hesitancy in his expression and slapped his back.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll drive,” Blaise said, and Draco felt a rush of relief at his friend’s unconditional support. “Well, Pansy will drive,” Blaise amended. 

“We’re renting something fun for me to drive!” Pansy yelled from the other room, and Draco’s chest was tight with an emotion he couldn’t put a name to but suspected was gratitude and love for his friends.

It took them the rest of Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday morning to get all the details ironed out. Pansy picked a rental car, Blaise figured out the route, and Draco found cheap Airbnbs and bought the snacks from the list that Pansy gave him. Draco felt just young enough to do something wild and dumb like drive across the country on a roadtrip and just old enough to wonder if it was really the best idea.

Pansy had called her dad for advice, and he’d FaceTimed her to instruct her on the best way to pack the trunk. Draco watched Pansy smiling and laughing, actually excited to go home and see her dad, and he felt a pang of jealousy.

It was far too early in the morning when Pansy shook Draco awake, but she was the one who would drive most of the day and wanted to make good time. It was still dark as they clambered quietly into the sporty SUV they’d rented. Pansy looked suspiciously bright eyed, holding what Draco suspected was her second cup of coffee. The sun wasn’t even up yet, and Draco immediately squashed the pillow he’d brought with him in between his head and the window and fell asleep before Pansy even pulled onto the interstate.

When he woke up, it was bright and sunny. Draco blinked blearily and noticed Blaise was asleep in the front seat. A woman’s voice was calmly introducing the start of a podcast, and Draco could tell that Pansy had thoughtfully adjusted the volume to be mostly on her side. 

“Where are we?” Draco asked as he leaned his head to the side, trying to ease the crick in his neck.

Pansy visibly startled, not having realized he was awake. “About an hour outside of Vegas. We’re driving through Mojave National Park right now.”

Draco glanced out the window and saw rolling desert around them. California was California, Mojave or not. The continuous shades of brown had bothered him when he’d first made the move from New York to LA. Even in the city, everything felt drab compared to the bright lights of New York. He could feel the heat of the day starting already, even though it was still early and the car’s AC was on. 

“Now that you’re up, could you pass me a granola bar? Please?” Draco started digging through the snacks. “Oh, and a water bottle,” Pansy added. He grabbed himself a granola bar as well and dug through the ice in the cooler to find a water bottle that was cold. He opened it and took a sip before handing it to her.

“I’m going to need a restroom soon,” Draco informed her.

Pansy glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “Can you make it another hour? I was planning to stop for gas outside of Vegas.”

He huffed a bit but agreed. Blaise woke up soon after, and the three of them chatted and reminisced until they were on the outskirts of Las Vegas. Draco peered out of the window, remembering the party they’d thrown here for Pansy’s 21st. It had been right before he’d come out to his parents, and he’d had what seemed like unlimited funds to make it an unforgettable weekend. He smiled at the memory; the money had been nice, but he was happier now, being himself. Pansy must’ve read something in his expression though, because she reached back and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back, and she let go quickly to focus on rush hour traffic.

They stopped for gas, and Pansy gave them both strict instructions not to buy anything, not to waste time when they had snacks in the car. Blaise switched with Pansy to take a turn driving, and Draco moved up to the front to keep him company while Pansy took her turn for a nap in the back. After a playlist and more podcasts, it was already noon and Pansy was awake again, instructing them to pull off for gas before they switched interstates.

Draco stretched his legs and walked around the car, mentally psyching himself up for his turn at the wheel while Blaise filled up the tank. He knew how to drive; he just didn’t  _ like _ to drive. He carefully folded his legs into the seat, placed his hands at the 10 and 2 position. Blaise must’ve moved the seat back for his long legs, so Draco had to reach under and adjust it forward a bit. And then up. And then that was too close to the steering wheel so he brought it backwards a tad. Then down a smidge more. He fiddled with the blinkers and windshield wipers, trying to get it all figured out before Pansy got back in the car. He was focused on trying to find the setting that made the windshield wipers spray fluid when Blaise’s deep voice startled him.

“She’s coming back now, so you’d better pretend like you know what you’re doing or else she’ll be the worst backseat driver.”

“Technically, you’re in the backseat, and she’s in the passenger side so she can’t be a backseat driver.”

Blaise looked faintly amused in the rearview mirror and had opened his mouth to say something else when Pansy clambered in. Draco watched to see if Blaise was going to tell on him to Pansy, but he just calmly asked, “Everybody ready?”

Draco carefully put the car into drive, put the blinker on, and turned right. He could feel Pansy eyeing him and mentally calculating how long it had been since he’d last driven, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the road to give her a glare. He just had to get on the interstate and then it was a straight shot, and he could put the cruise control on and it’d be fine. It would all be fine. He turned onto the entrance ramp and put his blinker on to merge.

“You need to be going faster than that to merge,” Pansy commented.

Draco pressed down slightly on the accelerator.

“Faster,” Pansy said again. Draco pressed a bit more.

“For god’s sake, Draco, you’re merging into traffic that’s going about 80! You need to be going at least 65!” Pansy snapped at him. Draco edged the accelerator up a bit more but couldn’t focus on his speed at that moment because there was a semi-truck flying by. The truck passed, he checked his blind spot, and he finally was on the interstate. He took a breath. Now he just had to drive mostly straight for the next five hours. No big deal.

Driving was a bigger deal than he remembered. Draco knew he didn’t like it, but he’d forgotten  _ how much _ he disliked it. It was uncomfortable and nerve-wracking. Every car passing him felt far too close. Pansy kept sniping about his driving until finally Blaise intervened.

“Give it a rest, Pans. You know he doesn’t like to drive, but he’s doing it anyway to give you and me a break. If you’re just going to sit and criticize him the whole time, he might as well pull over, and you can drive again.” 

Pansy grumbled but thankfully stopped her griping. It was still a long drive. Draco was exhausted when Blaise finally directed him to the exit where their Airbnb was for the night. When they got there, he wanted nothing more than to collapse into the bed that he’d probably be sharing with Pansy (Blaise kicked like a motherfucker) but after everyone had freshened up quickly, Blaise was ushering them back to the car for dinner at a local brewery. Draco went begrudgingly, but after being seated at a table with a basket of chips and salsa that Blaise ordered, he had to admit that Blaise was right. He was glad to be out doing something after the long drive, and the food all tasted better than just doing a quick drive-through and collapsing in bed.

“Where are we stopping tomorrow?” Draco asked, stretching his legs out under the table. He’d helped plan the route, but after a long day he wasn’t sure which stop was next.

“Kansas City,” Pansy replied, after a swallow of the moscow mule she’d ordered.

Blaise’s eyes lit up. “Oh, right! We’re stopping at that BBQ joint! The one in the gas station!”

“We’re eating gas station food?” Pansy wrinkled her nose.

“Yeah. It’s supposed to be an experience!” Blaise explained. “It’s famous. Has a really long line. Anthony Bourdain put it on his list of places to eat!”

Draco was also a little suspicious of gas station BBQ but he looked at Blaise’s face and decided to go along with it. Blaise had been so supportive of this trip, hadn’t complained once about it. If Blaise wanted to eat gas station BBQ, Draco would eat gas station BBQ with him. Sometimes, that’s just how friendship works.

It felt early when Pansy woke them up the first day, and it felt even earlier to get up after a day of travel. The first day of travel had gone smoothly, but the second was nothing like it. Everyone was grouchy, even Blaise, who was usually an easy-going mediator between Draco and Pansy. Someone had left a leaky water bottle in the back seat (Draco was sure it was Pansy, but she insisted it wasn’t) and Draco’s jeans got damp before he noticed and switched seats. The chocolate chips in the granola bars had gotten melty and they seemed to be driving through construction the whole way. All in all, day two felt like a disaster. Draco had never thought he’d be so excited for gas station BBQ, but he would’ve eaten almost anything just for a chance to stretch his legs and be out of the car for a bit.

They took a wrong turn after getting off the interstate, and Draco ended up driving in circles for a bit until Blaise found the correct street.

“I see it!” Pansy shrieked from the back, tapping Draco’s shoulder unnecessarily hard.

“Turn left! Then immediately left again, into that parking lot!” Blaise instructed. 

Finally, they were there. Draco immediately climbed out of the driver’s seat, starving and ready to stretch his legs. The heat felt oppressive, and when he breathed in he felt like he might drown. The humidity was awful. He leaned from side to side and felt his back pop, turned to ask Blaise if he’d heard that but stopped at Blaise’s stricken face.

“What’s wrong?” Draco asked.

“The parking lot’s empty. Why is the parking lot empty?”

“Did you check the hours? Maybe they’re only open for lunch.” Pansy’s voice was surprisingly soft. Despite her complaints about “gas station BBQ,” she’d known Blaise was really excited about it.

“Of course I checked the hours! They’re supposed to be open today!”

“Well, they’re obviously not!” Draco’s stomach grumbled as he peered in through a window to see the empty restaurant. 

“The gas station part’s still open though… Let’s run in and check what’s going on.” Pansy gave Blaise’s shoulder a brief squeeze before she pulled the door open and ran inside. Draco and Blaise glanced at each other and then followed suit.

“Is the Hog’s Head not serving food today?”

“Hmm?” The attendant took a moment before looking up. “Oh, they closed for the day. There was some kind of emergency with Abe’s goats.”

“Goats?” Blaise’s voice sounded hollow. 

“Yeah. Abe, the owner, keeps goats as pets. One of them had a twisted gut or something.”

“So, the whole restaurant closed down...for some  _ goats _ ?” Draco would have felt worse for Blaise if he wasn’t so damn hungry himself.

Pansy pinched the bridge of her nose, her voice authoritative. “Okay. New plan. We’ll use the restroom, gas up the car, and find a restaurant in the little town where the Airbnb is.” Blaise gave her a murderous glare and she switched to a beseeching tone. “I know you’ve had your heart set on this. We’ll stop here again on the way back. And if they’re not open again, I will personally mail order you some.”

There was a tense pause, then Blaise nodded and headed off to the bathroom. Pansy turned to Draco. “Do you need to go?” Draco shook his head. “Great. You look up restaurants while I gas up the car.”

They both completed their tasks in silence, and when Blaise came back he climbed into the back seat. Draco looked pitifully at Pansy, and she sighed and took the keys from him. He clambered into the passenger side and began to give her directions.

They drove out of the city, then through smaller, suburb filled towns, and then reached the countryside. Draco watched green fields of wheat or corn or whatever else flyover country grew roll by as the sun began its descent. His stomach grumbled and he wanted to complain, but he knew that would only make Blaise feel bad and there was a companionable silence that he didn’t want to break. It sucked that they were all hungry and grumpy, but at least they were hungry and grumpy together.

Finally, after what felt like forever but was really just 45 minutes, Draco directed Pansy off the interstate, and through a small town. They pulled into a small parking lot crammed with cars. Draco opened his door carefully to avoid dinging the neighboring car, following Blaise and Pansy and the smell of something grilled into the small restaurant, a worn, wooden, hand-painted sign proclaiming it “Molly’s.”

Stepping into the restaurant felt like a blast of cool air. Draco blinked, willing his eyes to adjust to the dim light compared to the bright parking lot. The room came into focus in bits and pieces, but Draco could hear live music at the front, and there was the smell of something delicious that permeated the whole place. A short, freckled, red-headed woman greeted them.

“Hello, welcome to Molly’s! I’m Molly. Just the three of you?” The woman was overly cheery, and Pansy drew back slightly.

“Yeah, just three.” Draco confirmed. The woman beckoned and they all followed her to a booth.

They sat down tiredly, and glanced over the menu. Draco was worn out. He wanted something comforting and ordered one of the first things he saw — fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Blaise, still not over his Hog’s Head disappointment, got some kind of BBQ; Pansy asked for pancakes. The waitress bustled off to put their order in, and the three of them sat in exhausted silence, while two women sang a mix of covers and originals on a small stage at the front of the restaurant. 

Draco sat and fiddled with his straw wrapper until his food came. It was good, really good, and he focused on it wholeheartedly until he was distracted by a deep voice on the mic. A man had joined the girls on the stage and was now leaning towards the microphone, strumming a guitar quietly as he spoke. “The girls asked me earlier if I’d come out from the kitchen and sing with them, and how could I say no?” There was a slight drawl in his voice, making his tone warm. It was impossible not to notice how attractive he was: tall, taller than Draco, with dark, wild curls pulled back into a messy bun, but the humidity had made pieces come loose and fall artfully in his face. Despite how messy as his hair was, his beard was well-trimmed. His nose looked as if it had been broken before, then healed just the slightest bit crooked, giving him a rakish, ‘devil may care’ look. He had warm, brown skin that reminded Draco of amber, and his cheeks were flushed. A pair of glasses framed long-lashed eyes, and Draco wished he was closer so he could see what color they were.

The man seemed about to say more, but then he changed his mind and began to strum the acoustic guitar, slowly. He glanced at the red-headed woman next to him, then sang with his warm, smooth voice. “ _ Hey little girl, is your daddy home or did he go and leave you all alone? Uh huh, I’ve got a bad desire. Ohh, ohh, ohh, I’m on fire. _ ”

The redhead leaned towards the mic, her voice low and smoky. Their voices blended, hers dipping under his for a harmony and their soft, lingering looks over the microphone made them seem like the only people in the room. “ _ Sometimes, it’s like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull, cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul. _ ”

The blonde woman stepped forward now, her voice higher and clear, striking a contrast with the lower voices of the other two as she sang the

The redhead harmonized under her voice too.

The man started a guitar solo, and the girls harmonized softly in the background as he sped up, faster and faster, until he reached the quick tempo of the original. He took a deep breath, then mournful and plaintive, sang, “ _ At night I wake up with the sheets soakin’ wet and there’s a freight train runnin’ through the middle of my head; only you can cool my desire. Ohh, ohh, ohh, I’m on fire. _ ” He repeated that line twice more, then closed with a drawn out, “ _ Ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh...I’m on — _ ”

“ _ Fire _ ,” the girls sang with him and the song finished.

“You’ve got a bit of drool there,” Pansy said, making Draco turn to glare at her just in time to see her gesture at his mouth. He flipped her off, but of course that was the moment their waitress turned back up. “Will you be needing anything else?” 

“No, thank you,” Draco said at the same time that Pansy said —

“That guy’s number for my friend?”

“Pansy!” Draco was appalled. Pansy just shrugged, unconcerned.

“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try to send Harry over,” the waitress said conspiratorially. “Compliment his food. He always likes that.” There was a glint in her eye as she hurried off.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck! What did you do? How do I look?” Draco immediately turned on Pansy, who was snickering.

“You look fine,” she reassured him, but she was still laughing, and he didn’t feel very reassured.

“How do I look!?” He turned to Blaise this time, who eyed him critically.

“Like you woke up in the middle of the night and have been in a car all day,” Blaise said honestly, as he reached over and tried to nab a bite of Draco’s mashed potatoes.

Draco cursed again as he smacked Blaise’s hand. Blaise gave him a hurt look, so Draco rolled his eyes and let Blaise try a bite.

Pansy took a deep breath and seemed to finally compose herself. “It’s not that bad. Lean forward.”

Draco followed her command, and she quickly finger-combed his hair to the side, then tilted her head as she inspected it. She frowned, then pulled a piece forward. Draco’s eyes kept darting to where their waitress was talking with the man — Harry, she’d said — as they disappeared back into the kitchen together.

A sharp pinch to his cheek drew his attention back to Pansy. “Ouch! That hurt!” He swatted her hand away as she reached for his other cheek.

“You’re too pale! It makes you look like a vampire!” She reached again and this time Draco let her, if only to even them out. “Bite your lip a little,” she suggested.

“What? No. I’m not doing that. I’m not a regency era heroine! It is what it is. He’s probably not going to come over anywa— Oh my god he’s coming. Pansy, I swear to god you’d better be chill or else I’m putting your toothbrush in the toilet.” Blaise opened his mouth to make what Draco was sure was going to be some kind of a smart-ass remark, but then Harry was at their table and all three of them fell silent.

“Um, hey? Molly said, er...that you wanted to speak with me?” Up close, Draco could finally see his eyes; they were green, dark but clear and bright like green glass, with long black lashes, and Draco couldn’t look away. “Was everything alright with your meal?”

Pansy kicked his shin under the table, and Draco made a rather embarrassing squeak.

“The meal was excellent,” Blaise cut in, to Draco’s relief. “I was curious how you seasoned the brisket? It had a little kick to it.”

Harry seemed to blush, but it was hard to tell for sure in the dim lighting. He smiled and seemed to relax as he talked about food. Blaise kept him distracted, asking questions about the food and making small talk about their trip until Draco’s nerves had calmed enough for him to mumble out a compliment. Harry grinned at him, and Draco tried not to show how much it affected him.

“Hey! I know! I’m off at eight — Molly’s gonna trade me out. I’m having a bonfire around nine. Y’all should come! If you’re not too tired from the drive?”

“Not at all!” Draco jumped to say. Pansy shot him daggers, but Blaise just shrugged.

“Great!” said Harry, oblivious to the silent argument unfolding between Draco and Pansy. “Listen, I’ve gotta run back to the kitchen, but Molly can give you directions to my house! I’ll let her know!” He tapped the table excitedly, then gave a little dopey wave as he headed off, back towards the kitchen.

“We are  _ not _ going to that bonfire,” Pansy immediately said.

“Why not?”

“We have to be up early! We haven’t even gone to our Airbnb! We’ll be driving all day and I don’t want to deal with a hangover!”

“Well, maybe you should drink less so you don’t have a hangover!”

“We don’t even know him! They could be some backcountry killers for all we know!”

“He was so friendly, though!”

“So was Ted Bundy!”

“GUYS!” Blaise finally cut in. “Pansy, you shouldn’t have pulled your stunt asking for his number if you weren’t okay with a follow-through. Draco, if we go, we can’t stay late. No one gets drunk and if anyone gets a weird vibe, say you have a headache, and we all leave, no questions asked. Deal?”

“Deal,” Draco agreed eagerly.

“Deal,” Pansy agreed begrudgingly. “But I swear to god you better not choke again!”  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Draco sniffed, as he finished his mashed potatoes.

Molly came back to finish up their checks and gave directions to Harry’s house. Draco tipped her extra and hurried Blaise and Pansy back into the car so they could find the Airbnb before they went over to Harry’s.

When they pulled up the gravel drive a little past nine, and there were a couple of people milling about in the front of the big white house, nearly all of them redheaded. Draco recognized the girls who had been singing earlier and was pleasantly surprised to see the redhead’s arm wrapped around the blonde’s waist. Just as Draco was beginning to second guess the whole night, Harry spotted them, and his face split into a huge grin as he beckoned them over. 

“Hey! Y’all made it! I met these guys at the restaurant. They’re driving cross-country from California! This is Blaise, and — sorry I don’t think I got your names?” Harry gestured in his friendly manner to Draco and Pansy. 

Summoning up his courage, he reached out his hand and introduced himself. “I’m Draco, and that’s our friend Pansy.”  
The other man’s hand was warm and rough. “Harry,” he offered, then began to point and introduce some of the people nearby. Draco knew he’d never remember their names and since he’d never see any of them again after tonight, he didn’t bother to try, though he still nodded politely at each new face.

“So, how’s the drive been so far?” Harry asked politely. They made small talk about the trip and work until the excitement of new people wore off and others began to drop away into smaller groups. Blaise and Pansy were both standing a little awkwardly on the edge of one of these groups but valiantly making an effort, and Draco loved them for it.

The wind changed, and the bonfire’s smoke blew into Draco’s face. He coughed, and a warm hand on his elbow pulled him out of the smoke. The smoke caught in Draco’s throat, making it feel raw. He rasped out a “Thanks,” before coughing a bit more.

“Here, have a sip of this,” Harry offered, and Draco grabbed it gratefully, taking a small sip before he knew what it was.

“Kombucha?” he asked, a bit surprised. Harry nodded with that same little pleased smile he’d had at the restaurant when Draco had complimented his food.

“Yeah! You’ve had it before? Maybe it’s bigger in California, but it’s still kind of new here.”

Draco chuckled a little at the thought of trends spreading slower to the middle of America. “I’ve had it before. This is really good though.”

“Thanks! I, err...I made myself.” Harry sounded a little embarrassed, and it was endearing. Draco realized that if they were in a different situation he could easily fall for Harry.  _ It’s just for tonight _ , he reminded himself,  _ whatever happens it’s only for tonight.  _

“That’s really cool,” Draco said, genuinely impressed. He took another sip, then handed it back and let himself enjoy watching Harry sip from the same cup, the thrill of his lips being in the same spot Draco’s just were. He knew it was ridiculous, but he hoped that maybe Harry could taste him on the cup. Harry was called away, and he squeezed Draco’s shoulder before he loped off to hug a newcomer with an abundance of hair. 

The summertime sun had finally set, and fireflies blinked lazily over the field as stars started appearing. Draco was a bit shocked by all the green. He felt like he could see green for miles and miles; it felt so different from the yellows and browns of California. It had a natural magic to it that even the bright lights of New York couldn’t beat. 

Someone turned on a portable radio, and Draco watched amusedly as Pansy was pulled into a very strange dance involving lots of hand-flapping with the blonde woman from earlier. Draco felt a warm feeling in his chest as he watched the woman lean over and murmur something to Pansy; Pansy’s face lost it’s usual cool aloofness and transformed into a big grin, unguarded in a way she rarely was. Draco could hear her laugh above the music and he smiled just at the sound.

“Luna can make anyone feel at home,” said a warm voice in Draco’s ear, sending shivers down his spine. Draco turned his head to find Harry’s face within kissing distance. He considered making his move, but decided he didn’t want to be rejected in front of so many people. Everything about Harry felt warm, his hands, his voice, and the lyrics from earlier floated through his mind.  _ Ohh, ohh, ohh, I’m on fire. _ It wasn’t an unpleasant thought, to burn up in Harry’s presence.

The song changed, and Draco felt a thrill to hear  _ Dancing in the Dark _ come on. It felt like a sign, another Springsteen song. Harry set his cup on the ground, and caught Draco’s wrist, tugging him closer into the dancers, and shimming his shoulders in what was both an endearingly silly and unfairly attractive manner. Draco followed suit, tried his best to let his self-consciousness drop and just focus on Harry. Fun, hot Harry with green eyes that seemed to burn into Draco, and Draco loved that he could hear Harry quietly murmuring the words along with the song. Draco knew the words, but listening to them from Harry gave them new meaning. Harry caught his gaze as he mouthed, “ _ They say you gotta stay hungry. Hey, baby, I’m just about starving tonight. I’m dyin’ for some action. _ ” 

Draco watched the corners of Harry’s mouth turn up when he mouthed, “ _ I need a love reaction, c’mon now, baby, give me just one look!” _

When the song ended, Harry started to lean in, but Draco knew he wouldn’t be satisfied with just a kiss. “Do you want to show me how you make your kombucha?” Draco asked breathlessly.

Harry pulled back, looking disappointed. “Oh, er...sure?” He took a step back from Draco, hesitated, then turned around and headed towards the house.

Draco followed Harry up the porch steps and through a squeaky screen door, alternating between appreciating Harry’s ass and broad shoulders. Harry led him to a small but clean kitchen and began to point and explain the assorted bottles and jars sitting on the counter.  _ Can’t start a fire, worried ‘bout your little world fallin’ apart,  _ Draco thought as he stepped into Harry’s space and caught his face with a hand. He saw a moment of recognition and relief in Harry’s eyes before his own fluttered shut and he lost himself in the sensation of their lips moving together, chasing the taste of Harry, and relishing the weight of Harry’s hand resting on the back of his neck.

When they pulled apart, Harry smiled that sweet, crooked smile and Draco felt his heart stutter at the sight of it. “So, the kombucha was a ruse,” Harry laughed, and Draco couldn’t help his own smile.

“Oh, definitely,” he admitted easily.

Harry turned them around and pressed Draco back against the counter; they kissed until Draco’s elbow bumped a bottle, making it clank against the others and startling them both.

“Ya know, I do have a bed,” Harry murmured into Draco’s ear, making him shudder. “No fermenting bottles on it, I promise.”

“I’ll follow you,” Draco agreed and let Harry lead him down a small hall to a slightly untidy room.

“I wasn’t planning on company,” Harry said sheepishly as he made a grab for a pair of dirty socks in the middle of the floor.

“Don’t worry about it,” Draco reassured. “Besides, I’m rather hoping your pants will be joining them soon.”

“Oh my god, that’s so cheesy,” Harry complained in between kisses. “Fucking ridiculous. Does that line work?” 

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?” Draco had his hands under Harry’s shirt, on his bare skin, and he could feel his stomach twitching as he rumbled out a laugh.  _ I can take you higher, _ Draco wanted to say.

His line did seem to work because eventually clothes were shed, and Draco was thrilled to find Harry was even warmer pressed up against him, pressed inside of him. Draco had been with attractive people before and been thoroughly disappointed when they got to bed, but Harry’s hands and gaze were worshipful, like he couldn’t believe his luck that the night had turned out this way.

When they’d both finished, Harry pressed a kiss to Draco’s cheek before getting up to grab a wet washcloth, and Draco was struck by the pure sweetness of it. He wanted to lift his hand to touch the spot but was worried Harry would catch him. It was a one-night stand — an incredible one-night stand — nothing more.

They cleaned up in an easy silence, and when Draco finally said, “I have to go,” Harry replied, “I know,” with a small smile.

Draco slipped quietly out of the house first and found Pansy chatting animatedly in a group, although she excused herself when she saw him.

“You look...satisfied. It’s disgusting. Did you get laid?” she asked without preamble.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

Pansy snorted, but didn’t press for details, probably knowing she’d get them later. They found Blaise talking politics with the curly haired woman Harry had hugged earlier. They all said a quick goodbye and then piled into the car. Harry still hadn’t come back out of the house. Draco was quiet for most of the drive home, and the other two seemed to pick up on his mood.

“I didn't know they made people that nice," Pansy quietly said when they were all in the car again. Blaise gave her a bewildered look, but Draco knew exactly what she meant. Everyone had been so welcoming at the bonfire, so genuine in a way that Draco wasn't used to, and it was a lovely surprise to find out that there were people in the world who invited you to bonfires and shared what they had with you without expecting something more than company and conversation in return.  Draco reached over the middle console and took her hand, gave it a squeeze. When they arrived back at the Airbnb, they all stumbled to bed, exhausted but happy.

Granola bars and crackers were starting to get really old on the third day of driving. They’d gotten a late start and it rained on and off all day. Everyone was tired and the easy-going chatting from their first day had faded into easy-going silence. Draco tried to nap anytime he wasn’t driving, and when it was his turn to drive he listened to various covers of “I’m on Fire” until Blaise unbuckled and reached up from the back to turn it off. “Draco, I’m begging you. Anything else. Literally anything else. Listen to Rick Astley for all I care. I cannot take another rendition of that fucking song.” 

Draco considered arguing, but none of the covers were as good as Harry’s version anyways.

They ate at a non-descript diner in the middle of Pennsylvania, and Draco couldn’t help but think about how much better the food had been the night before. He wanted to text Harry to tell him, would’ve enjoyed giving the compliment and imagining that pleased smile that suited Harry perfectly, but they’d left before he’d gotten Harry’s number.

As he laid in the vaguely uncomfortable rental house bed that night, he regretted his earlier music choices.  _ Sometimes it’s like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul  _ played through his mind over and over on an endless loop. 

Draco woke exhausted, had tossed and turned all night, but there was a celebratory feeling on the last leg of the trip. The drive was the shortest one they’d had yet, and compared to the other three days it felt quick and easy. Draco’s heart felt heavier and heavier the more familiar the scenery became. He tried to rationalize that his mother had sounded excited to see him, and had talked about how much she was looking forward to his visit. His father...would probably follow his mother’s lead. It would be fine.

It would be fine.

Blaise turned the car into the circle drive of Draco’s parents’ summerhouse and Draco felt sick. He usually visited his parents in the city around Christmas, and hadn’t come out to the summerhouse with them since college. He’d forgotten how ridiculously big it was. It was one thing to have grown up with this kind of money, having no idea of his privilege or wealth, but now he was an adult on his own. He knew firsthand how difficult it could be to make ends meet. He could no longer imagine having this kind of money and not doing something more with it than throwing lavish parties and evading taxes.

His eyes met Pansy’s in the visor mirror as she frantically put on make-up. He could see his own apprehension mirrored in her eyes, and suddenly realized  that she was putting on armor to face her mother. Draco watched as several small strokes transformed her into a different person, someone who sat up straighter, but laughed sparingly. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek before climbing out and grabbing his travel bag, then waved at them. Draco wondered what changes she saw in him as he approached the front door . They drove off to Pansy’s parents, and Draco faced his parents alone.

His mother was waiting for him at the door. She smiled and pulled Draco into a hug, looking as beautiful and chic as ever. 

“Come in, come in,” she welcomed him. “Are you hungry? Dinner’s not for a few hours, but I’m sure we can find you something to heat up.” Draco nodded gratefully and followed her into the big kitchen that was rarely used by anyone except for caterers during parties. He couldn’t help but look at the large island and think about how many fermenting bottles would fit on it. He watched as she glided around the kitchen, seeming surprisingly at home there for someone who only cooked a couple of dishes.

“What are you smiling about?” His mother’s voice was soft, and every time she passed him, she’d touch his back, his shoulder, as if she was making sure he was really there.

“Oh, nothing, really.” Draco wasn’t about to tell her he’d been briefly fantasizing about an excellent one-night stand with an almost-stranger.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I thought maybe we could have a beach day tomorrow, that way we’ll be out of the way while things are being set up.”  
Draco decided to just get the worst of it out of the way. “Speaking of being set up, I haven’t been...have I?”

His mother frowned, the faintest wrinkle appearing between her fine brows. “No, of course not. I...think I owe you an apology.” 

She drew a breath and Draco waited.

“That was...inappropriate of me to have tried that before. And inconsiderate. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you for your apology,” Draco said, a bit stiffly. He was at a loss for words, unable to remember either of his parents apologizing to him before. Certainly not his father.

His mother reached over the island and took his hand. “I just want to have a nice time with you, while you’re here.”

Draco let himself have a little bit of hope as he gave his mother’s hand a light squeeze before letting go. Not everything was solved, and the hurt his parents had created with their initial reaction to his sexuality would always remain, but it stung a little less in that moment.

His father entered, seeming surprised to see Draco.

“Draco.”

“Father.”

“So you’ve made it here.”

“So I have.”

They all stared at each other in an awkward silence for a moment, until it was broken by Lucius’ cell phone ringing.

“I need to take this.” 

Draco watched his father’s retreating back with wonder.  _ That might have been me,  _ Draco thought, but he didn’t mourn the thought like he once might have. Instead he celebrated it: he’d never follow in his father’s footsteps, never treat his significant others with the carelessness he’d observed from his father. He felt a surge of pride in himself, at how much he’d grown in just a couple years. If his parents couldn’t see that, it was their loss. Not his.

He took the time in between his arrival and dinner to get settled and cleaned up and a nap in a bed instead of the car. Family dinner was a quiet affair. His mother had picked up Italian food from Draco’s favorite restaurant, a gesture which he appreciated. They ate mostly in silence, and Draco dreamed about the boisterous atmosphere of Harry’s backyard, the way everyone had talked over each other, finishing each other’s thoughts.

When he went to bed that night, he let himself remember Harry’s warm touches as he palmed himself. He wondered if Harry’s eyes had actually been that green, or if he’d imagined it. It all felt a bit like something out of a fantasy — incredible, but too good to be true. He wished he’d gotten a chance to pull Harry’s hair down, run his hands through it. It was the memory of Harry’s mouth on Draco’s neck though that brought him over the edge, and as he laid there panting, he remembered the sweet kiss Harry had pressed to his cheek.

Draco felt like he spent most of his day at the beach just applying and reapplying his sunscreen to keep from being a lobster at the party that night. Draco was a little shocked by how everything had changed when they returned. He’d forgotten how quickly hired staff and caterers could transform a space.

Blaise and Pansy had arrived and barged into his room sometime during his shower; Blaise was sitting in the staged chair by the window, Pansy laid across his bed with her dress spread out, waiting for him.

“Pansy. Blaise,” Draco greeted as he gathered his clothes and carried them into the bathroom to change. “How are your parents?”

“Oh, you know. My mom’s terrible, my dad’s great. Yours?” Pansy asked.

“Oh, you know. My dad’s terrible, my mom’s alright.” Draco returned.

“My mom’s wonderful, as always,” Blaise chimed in, uninvited.

“Read the room,” Pansy huffed, making Draco snort.

The three of them made sure to be fashionably late, taking turns swigging from a small flask Pansy had tucked into her purse until it was empty and they were forced to actually go to the party for more booze. The atmosphere was even better in the late evening; the whole back yard twinkled with small fairy lights, and there was music softly playing from a speaker that Draco couldn’t locate.

“Draco!” Narcissa immediately waved him over. “Draco, I wanted to introduce you to my cousin, Sirius.” Draco immediately liked Sirius, if only from the way he stuck out like a sore thumb with his long hair, combat boots, and leather jacket, not to mention the dirty look Draco’s father was giving him.

“Nice to meet you,” Sirius greeted amicably as they shook hands. “Your mom was telling me you live in California? What part?”

Draco made friendly small talk with Sirius for a couple minutes before he was able to put the connection together. Sirius was  _ the _ Sirius Black, of Dogstar Industries, one of the leading tech companies in Silicon Valley. Draco wasn’t sure how Sirius felt about nepotism, and Draco wasn’t sure how he felt about the fact that his mother had had him drive four days just to network, but Sirius Black was a very good connection to have.

“Hey, Sirius —” a familiar voice interrupted. Draco glanced up and was met with green eyes and a mess of dark hair.

Draco’s brain short-circuited, trying to figure out what Harry was doing here, at Draco’s parents’ summerhouse in New York, when as far as Draco knew, Harry was in the middle of Missouri.

Harry looked just as shocked to see Draco as Draco was to see him, but he immediately smiled and Draco felt his own face mirror the action. Harry somehow looked even more attractive than before; he’d looked lovely at home, comfortable and at ease, but something about seeing him dressed up in a button-down, holding a drink in a glass instead of a solo cup, pleased something deep down in Draco that he would deny if Pansy ever asked him.

“Did you need something, Harry?” Sirius asked.

“Oh, um…” Harry seemed to be struggling to remember what he was going to say. “I— sorry, wait. How are you here?” he asked with a little laugh.

“This is my parents’ house. How are  _ you  _ here?”

“Sirius’s my godfather. He said he was traveling to New York and I’d never been, so I tagged along. I can’t believe you’re here!” Harry’s smile was a full-on grin now, and it was contagious.

Sirius politely excused himself, and Draco and Harry stared at each other for another moment, before Draco gathered himself, and took Harry by the elbow, pulled him into a more secluded area of the garden. “I’ve been kicking myself for not getting your number, but I thought I’d never see you again.”

“Well, I can’t make any promises, but I’m in the area for the rest of the week. How about I give you my number, and we’ll take it from there?” Harry’s smile was shy, but genuine, and Draco leaned forward to taste it.

“Deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Find me on tumblr @kittycargo](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kittycargo/blog/kittycargo)
> 
> I used lyrics from Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" and "Dancin' in the Dark." Both songs are on Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." album, which is the inspiration for this fic's title. I listened to this album repeatedly writing this fic and cannot recommend it enough.
> 
> Lyrics from "I'm on Fire" were used during the restaurant and bonfire scenes. Lyrics from "Dancin' in the Dark were used in the bonfire scenes. Obviously, I did not create those songs, nor do I own them. 
> 
> Food is a big part of this fic, and I want to credit the restaurants that inspired me. Colfax is a real restaurant in LA with breakfast burritos. The restaurant they stop at in Fruita, CO is called Suds Brother's Brewery and is apparently has good moscow mules. The Hog's Head BBQ is inspired by Joe's Kansas City BBQ, a real BBQ restaurant that originated in a gas station. The Italian food that Narcissa picks up is based on Tutto II Giorno in the Hamptons'. If you want to make your own kombucha, I recommend watching "It's Alive with Brad Leone" on Youtube.
> 
> * * *
> 
> 🎵 This work was part of H/D Wireless, a song inspired, anon, Drarry fest with its home on tumblr! 
> 
> If you enjoyed this, shower our content creators with all the love you have to give by leaving kudos ❤️ and comments 💌 on their work!
> 
> [Check out the fest tumblr to find even more works and daily updates!](http://hd-wireless.tumblr.com/)


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